– This is a small district of Hanoi, on the road number 32 from Hanoi to SonTay. Dan Phuong is in the North of Hanoi centre.

– Square: 82,4 km 2 , includes 1 town and 15 commune (Donxa is working inTrung Chau, Van vy, Dong thap, Tho An)- Population: 124,900 people

 This region has 4 seasons: spring, summer autumn and winter. The temperature is from 10 degree in winter to 40 degree in summer. There are two seasons for farming: rain season (from April to Septemberthe next year) and dry season (from September to the next April).

3. Projects conducted in Dan Phuong

+Financial Adoption: to help poor children go to school with the purpose of  improving the education in this region and bring children chances to havebetter future.

+Laisind Cow breeding project: with the purpose to help poor people improve their economy. Donxa provide cows, instruct technique and helpfarmers solve difficulties in breeding cows.

+Purified water project: After testing the water and see the rate of metal inwater here is very high, Donxa implemented the “Purified Water Project” to provide purified water for students. The project was conducted in TrungChau B primary school, Trung Chau A secondary school, Tho primary and secondary school. Besides, the project of “Purified Water for poor familiesis also conducted for poor people in Tho An commune.

+ School library project: Donxa helps to improve and provide books, equipments for school library in Trung Chau B primary school and Tho Asecondary school.

+Closed Door Project: Donxa conducts this project to help poor peoplehave a better house by providing doors, windows, and shutters for windowsto protect their house and keep them warm in the cold winter; thereforehelp them to improve their life quality

+Activities with UNIS: Donxa cooperates with students in UNIS school tohold some activities for students in Tho An and Trung Chau. This providesstudents chances to make friends and learn from students all over the world

 Trung Châu Commune

1-      Location

– Trung Châu is a commune, which is next to the Red River with large square. It is divided into two parts: Trung Chau A and Trung Chau B

–  This is the poorest commune in projects region.

The road in Trung Chau

2-      Traffic

-Almost all roads in the village are red land road. The river road is tarred, however due to producing sand near the river. Many trucks carrying sand go on the road everyday, causing serious damages to the road.

– Most of people use bicycle to travel. Some people who work far away or have enough money to buy motorbikes. Some people own cheap Chinese motorbike, which is around 2 million dong.

3-Economy

-The main career is farming. Land for farming is mainly near the Red river. Rice cannot grow here so the main agriculture product is a corn and soya bean. The farming depends on the water level of the river. If the water level is too high people cannot grow anything.

–  Breeding: People raise many cows. Trung Chau has the greatest number of cows among communes. Donxa conducts cow projects here because it has a large ground near the river and good food for cow. Children and old people are main labor for raising cows. Students often help parents raise cows after school time.

– Extra works: Men who are healthy can find a jobs such as mason; women or female students who quit school work as nannies because there are not many extra local job here.

4-Houses

-Almost all families live in titled houses, but the floor is made of cement or even just land. A house normally has 2 rooms: the big room is the living room, as well as dining room and bedroom. The smaller room is for sleeping and keeping things. Poor household just have very the bare minimum furniture, such as one or two beds, a table, some chairs, a fan.

-Some families have big gardens, often for growing bananas.

A typical house in Trung Chau

5- Religion

– Almost all people believe in Buddhism. Every village has their own pagoda and commune house. People often go to pagoda on Tet and other holidays. Twice a month, on the first and the 15th day of the lunar calendar, people put fruit and burn incense at their family altar to pay respects to God and their godfather. If someone in a family passes away, they put the picture of dead person in the altar to respect for them. The day they die is the memorial day of the family.

6-Life standard

-Almost all families have electricity and a drilled-well. Water here has high rate of Fe and Mg and arsine. Water has a yellow color and bad smell so they just use for bathing and washing. People build tanks to keep rainwater for drinking and cooking.

-People here has quite low life standard. Schools are poor equipped

-Many students quit school after graduating secondary school because their parents think it is enough to know how to read and write.

-People who go to college are rare and the rate of people getting married at 18 years-old or even younger is high.

-People unite strongly in the community. The relationship among neighbors and relatives is very important. On the important occasion like wedding, funeral, or birth of new babies, they hold parties and invite all relatives and neighbors. The ones who take part in the parties will give the owner envelopes with money inside. To many poor families these kinds of parties are very important but also a burden for them, as they have to give money as a present.